Troll Hunters Read online

“How do I do this, Louise?” Thora asked. “Help me. What do I do?”

  A gleam of silver caught her eye. Louise’s blood was shining on her forehead and cheeks. Thora pulled the girl closer to her chest and closed her eyes. “Help me, Louise,” she whispered.

  Thora concentrated on the image of Aquarius from the doctor’s book. She focused on the crown and the stars and the bottomless jar. Would they help her now? She waited for an answer, but the only sounds she heard were exploding cars and humans screaming.

  Thora shivered. She looked down. Cold water was gathering around her ankles and knees in a pool beneath her. When she turned around, she saw that an arm of the lake was creeping up the shore toward her.

  Louise’s blood glowed brighter. The water surrounding Thora grew deeper. It rose, cover her legs as she knelt next to the doctor. It washed over the doctor’s chest and arms, emitting a silver light. With each wave of silver water, the pain on the doctor’s face seemed to wash away. His face calmed, bit by bit, as it lapped against him.

  The rushing water was also carving an inlet into the shore. It gathered up the sand and rubble and pulled them toward the lake. Thora felt herself sinking into the damp ground.

  She stood up. More water flooded in from beneath her feet. The doctor disappeared beneath its foaming tide. She saw only his wet, flapping coat and one of his hands.

  Then the wrecked car groaned. It began to sway. The water had loosened the ground beneath it. Thora felt a burst of energy. She raised her free hand toward the car.

  Water and foam blossomed from her fingertips. The car tilted. With a long squeal, the car fell back. It crashed into the water, sending silvery spray into Thora’s arms and face.

  “Dr. Hoo!” Thora cried. She looked down and reached into the rising foam. She grasped the doctor’s hand and pulled it hard. The doctor rose, sputtering, through water and sand. He crawled to his knees, then stood next to her, flexing the arm that had been trapped.

  Dr. Hoo smiled at Thora. Then his eyes went wide. “Thora, look out!” he said, pointing behind her.

  Thora turned. Bryce was standing in the eddying waves. The reddish gleam in his eyes glowed brighter. In his hand, he held a piece of jagged glass from a broken car window.

  “Give me Louise,” Bryce demanded. “They’re coming! I have to give her to them!”

  Dr. Hoo clenched his fists — all three of them. He moved between Bryce and Thora. “You can’t trust him, Thora,” Dr. Hoo said. “His mind is being manipulated by the gathool.”

  “Give me the girl!” Bryce shouted. He raised the jagged piece of glass and made a menacing slice through the air.

  “Don’t make me hurt you, Bryce,” Dr. Hoo said. “Control yourself — you can do it. Just focus.”

  Bryce hesitated. His eyes seemed to flicker between red and blue. He shook his head left and right, as if trying to clear his mind. For a moment, he seemed like himself again. “Thora?” he said quietly.

  Suddenly, the waves of the lake crashed and boomed behind Bryce. With a long sigh, they reared back and rose into a wall of foam. A shadowy tentacle reached out of the watery wall, wrapped itself around Bryce, and lifted him into the air.

  The tentacle twitched, then pulled Bryce under the water and out of sight.

  Pablo coughed and grabbed his chest. Blood covered his hand. He realized he had fallen onto his back on the golden disc.

  Where is the Sword of Orion? Pablo thought. And where is Zak? His vision was hazy, but he could clearly see that only the boys they had pulled from the SUV were with him on the disc now.

  Pablo glanced around quickly, blinking his eyes, searching for the Sword of Orion and his friend.

  A big spray of water splashed onto the disc behind Pablo. The tentacles, he thought. They’re coming for us!

  But it wasn’t the tentacles. It was Zak. He was climbing out of the water onto the dome-shaped island. Onto the head of the monstrous island. That creature.

  “What are you doing?” Pablo shouted. Then he froze. In Zak’s right hand was the Sword of Orion. Zak had dived into the cold water to retrieve it while Pablo was unconscious.

  My sword looks bigger now, Pablo thought. He coughed again. The pain stabbed through his chest. More blood seeped onto his shirt. He pressed his hand tightly to the wound, but the blood still gushed out.

  Zak looked at the gash on Pablo’s chest. Pablo saw the familiar glimmer in his friend’s eyes. Zak nodded when his gaze met Pablo’s. Zak knew what he had to do without Pablo even saying a word.

  Zak roared. He still had not transformed into the bear warrior, but that didn’t stop him. With both hands, he raised the huge sword over his head and swung it at the monster. The creature stepped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly blow. The Sword of Orion sank into the sticky surface of the island. Black fluid seeped out from the gash and a vast bellow trembled up from beneath the water.

  Thooloom …

  Dark waters churned and foamed around the edge of the island. The golden disc rocked as the waves lapped against it.

  The fungus creature swung its weapon at Zak. He lifted his sword just in time to block the attack. The blades clanged together. The monster attacked a second time, but again Zak deflected the blow. A rain of silver sparks shot outward from the clashing blades.

  Then the monster swiftly tossed his sword to another of his four arms.

  “Zak! Look out!” cried Pablo.

  The young warrior was ready. The troll’s blade sliced at Zak from a higher angle, but Zak ducked down as the troll’s weapon passed harmlessly over his head.

  Back and forth, their blades rang out. The Sword of Orion glowed and flickered, sending silver sparks everywhere. Silver light temporarily lit up the scene each time Zak smashed his sword against the monster’s weapon.

  Pablo knew that Zak wasn’t used to using a sword, but no one would be able to tell by watching him fight. Zak’s weapons had always been his bear talons and powerful jaws, but Pablo was amazed at how well Zak fought with a sword. It seemed that Zak’s brute, bear-like strength allowed him to swing the weapon with incredible speed. The sword seemed to move on its own, pulling and twisting Zak across the vast head.

  Pablo felt guilty. He had dropped the sword into the water. And if he had pushed Zak harder to leave the SUV behind, they would both be on the shore right now next to their companions.

  Instead, Zak was out in the middle of the lake battling against a hideous, inhuman creature, and Pablo was slowly bleeding to death.

  This is my fault, Pablo thought. We should have all stayed together like Dr. Hoo and Mara told us to.

  The monster made a strange noise. Pablo watched as the tall creature stretched out one of his scaly arms. A second sword grew from its flexing hand.

  There’s no way Zak can defend himself now, Pablo thought. He tried to stand, but his legs gave out and he fell back onto the disc. He needs my help.

  Pablo knew the four companions always had more strength when they worked together. Together, they had healed Zak’s arm after a battle with the fire trolls. Together, they had defeated the Ooloom. Alone, Zak had a fraction of his powers. He wouldn’t stand a chance against that monster.

  Pablo knew what to do. He took a deep breath and rolled over the side of the disc, plunging into the water.

  When his chest hit the cold water, the pain clutched his heart. For a moment, he couldn’t move. He began to sink deeper into the inky lake. Far below him, he saw two red fires burning underwater. The two lights blinked at him.

  Then Pablo heard the clashing of swords from above the surface. He forced his eyes open wide and clenched his teeth. He couldn’t reach out his arms to swim. The injured chest muscles wouldn’t let him. Instead, Pablo rolled to his back and flapped his legs. As he kicked through the water, he swam up toward the edge of the island.

  Pablo flapped his legs faster. When he reached the island, he dragged himself up the edge using only one arm. The other hand still gripped his wounded chest.

  The fungus-li
ke monster turned toward Pablo. Zak followed its gaze. When he saw Pablo lying next to him, he lowered his sword for a second. “You idiot!” Zak cried. “What are you doing here? You’re going to get yourself killed!”

  “Your sidekick reporting for duty,” Pablo said, struggling to grin through the horrible pain.

  Immediately, Pablo could tell that Zak felt stronger. Zak flexed his arms and smiled at his friend.

  Then Pablo screamed.

  Zak turned back to face the creature. The monster’s twin swords were both slashing toward Pablo.

  In an amazing burst of speed, Zak dashed toward the monster. With an echoing thud, he slammed his shoulder into the creature’s side and sent him reeling backward. The troll almost fell to the ground, but gathered itself at the last moment, managing to stay upright.

  The fungus monster bellowed angrily and turned its gaze toward the golden disc. Pablo’s eyes went wide as he turned to look. A tall, familiar figure was hovering over the disc, covered in a golden glow. As his boots touched down on the disc, Pablo saw a person cradled in each of Dr. Hoo’s arms.

  “Thora! Louise!” cried Pablo.

  The doctor stared at the fungus monster. “Your time is up,” he said. “Accept defeat, or die.”

  “This is just the beginning!” the creature bellowed. “It is you who must accept death! It is you who must die!”

  Then the monster roared. It lifted its arm and threw a sword at the disc with incredible speed. It flipped end over end as it flashed toward the doctor.

  The doctor shifted his weight and dropped Thora and Louise onto the disc. A split second later, the monster’s sword sliced off Dr. Hoo’s third arm at the elbow. He collapsed on the disc as his severed arm splashed into the water. Thora screamed.

  Zak’s eyes went wide as the beast raised the other sword over Dr. Hoo’s fallen body, preparing to finish the job.

  “No!” shouted Zak. He swung the Sword of Orion at the beast and knocked the sword from its hand. The monster’s eyes shifted to Zak. The troll immediately lunged sideways at him. Its massive jaws opened wider than Pablo thought possible.

  With a sickening crunch, the monster’s jaws clamped onto Zak’s torso and lifted him off his feet.

  Zak and Pablo both cried out at the same time. The monster lifted Zak high overhead, shaking his bleeding body like a rabid dog.

  “Zak!” shouted Pablo.

  “No!” Thora cried.

  A horrible sound came from the monster’s jaws as Zak’s bones snapped, but he somehow managed to hold on to the Sword of Orion. With his remaining strength, Zak plunged the blade into the monster’s head — all the way up to the hilt.

  Zak released the sword and went limp. The troll dropped him, and he fell in a heap onto the island. The monster stumbled, retching and coughing. It tried to pull out the sword, but it couldn’t reach.

  The island heaved and jerked underneath. Pablo saw that the monster was attached to the island by a long cord. As the troll thrashed and writhed, its pain was shared by that creature below the water.

  Finally, the monster began to crack and crumble. Three arms fell to pieces like shattered pottery. In seconds, the creature had crumbled into a mass of dirt and clay. In the middle of the pile laid the Sword of Orion, glinting in the moonlight.

  The island thrashed wildly. A wounded enemy is a dangerous one, Pablo remembered. He crawled over to the fallen sword. He grabbed it and raised the Sword of Orion over his head. With every ounce of strength he had left, he brought the sword down, plunging it into the center of the island.

  A hideous shriek rose up from beneath the water. The island shuddered. Its long tentacles curled up and surged toward Pablo. Thora and Louise suddenly appeared at Pablo’s side. Kneeling, they placed their hands on top of Pablo’s.

  A ball of shimmering light grew around their hands. Lights twinkled in the water around them. The stars overhead were motionless, but their reflections on the waves quivered and stirred.

  The island shook violently. “Hold on!” yelled Thora.

  The star reflections whirled around them like a blizzard of fireflies. The light from the sword grew more intense as the lights danced around it.

  Like moths to a flame, Pablo thought.

  Suddenly, the starry lights all flew toward the center of the island. The stars rushed toward the sword and passed through the companions’ hands. Light dived down the length of the blade and into the creature below. The sword hilt blazed like the sun.

  Thora reached out and grasped Zak’s limp hand. The light grew brighter, and an explosion rocked the quarry. The surprised cries of the townspeople carried across the lake.

  Slowly, the starry light faded. Small cracks ran along the island’s surface. When Pablo reached his hand down to touch the island, he felt that it had turned to lifeless stone.

  “Did we do it?” whispered Thora. Pablo looked over the edge of the island. The burning eyes from below had vanished.

  Dr. Hoo looked at Thora and nodded. He looked relieved, despite his missing arm. “Thooloom was the father — the creator — of the gathool species,” he said, a faint smile on his lips. “They are born from his body, created in his image. With him dead, and their army destroyed, the war is over.”

  Pablo felt the cold, hard stone beneath his hands. He traced a finger along the jagged cracks that ran along the petrified troll’s head. “So, he’s dead?” Pablo asked. “For good?”

  Dr. Hoo nodded. “For good,” he said. “The world is safe now. Because of you.”

  Thora sank to the ground, relieved. Pablo smiled.

  But his smile faded when he heard Louise crying. She was leaning over Zak, tears streaming down her face.

  Pablo crawled across the sticky clay toward them. He shook Zak’s shoulder. “Zak, wake up,” he said. “It’s over now.”

  Zak didn’t move. Blood streamed from a dozen wounds in the boy’s torso and arms. Then his eyes fluttered, opening halfway.

  “Zak!” yelled Pablo.

  Zak smiled weakly. “Pablo?” he asked in a raspy voice. His eyes gleamed with strange unearthly light that Pablo had seen many times before. But now it was much more faint.

  Pablo grinned. “Yeah, it’s your sidekick,” he said. “I’m right here.”

  Thora and Louise bent down next to Pablo. Behind them, Dr. Hoo stood silently.

  “We’re all here,” said Thora.

  “We’ll take you home,” said Louise.

  Zak coughed. His body trembled. The starlight flickered in his eyes. “You’re the best friends … anyone could ever have.” he said.

  Zak blinked his eyes once, twice, then closed them for the last time.

  Pablo felt a hand turn his body over. A dark shadow loomed over him. He heard the splash of water nearby.

  “You passed out,” said Thora. “We brought everyone here.”

  Pablo rolled onto his side. He was lying on the far eastern shore of the quarry lake. Red clouds from the smoking town hung above the western cliffs. A mass of burning cars littered the opposite shore.

  “Zak!” Pablo cried, remembering what had happened. “Where’s Zak?”

  “Careful,” Thora said. “You’ve been through a lot.”

  Pablo clutched at his chest. It still ached a little, but the wound was gone. He saw Louise sitting next to Thora. A few feet away, the doctor was kneeling over Zak’s motionless body.

  “Is … is he okay?” asked Pablo.

  Thora’s eyes were filled with tears. “We were able to heal your wound,” she said. “And Louise’s head.”

  “The doctor lost an arm,” Louise said sadly.

  Dr. Hoo smiled down at her. “I’ll be fine,” he said.

  Pablo sat up a little higher. “Is Zak all right?” he asked, his voice trembling.

  Dr. Hoo didn’t respond. He kneeled over Zak. Pablo couldn’t tell, but it looked like the doctor was crying.

  Thora shook her head sadly. “We tried,” she said to Pablo. “We tried really, really hard.”
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  Pablo hung his head. For a few moments, no one spoke.

  Louise tugged at Thora’s arm. “Tell him about Mara,” she said.

  “Is Mara … dead?” asked Pablo.

  Thora shook her head. “She’s not dead,” she said. “Mara left Zion Falls. The doctor said she finished what she came to do.”

  “Well, where is she now?” Pablo asked.

  Louise pointed to the sky above the quarry. “She’s up there,” she said. “With her sisters. The stars.”

  Thora turned toward Dr. Hoo. “Then Mara used to be one of us?” asked Thora. “Like it says in The Book of Stars?”

  The doctor turned around slowly. His face was pale and gaunt. “Yes, Thora,” he said quietly. “Like in The Book of Stars. And tonight, the book will have a new page.”

  Pablo gazed at his fallen friend. His lips trembled.

  Dr. Hoo placed a hand on Pablo’s shoulder. “He was a true warrior,” Dr. Hoo said. “The mighty Arcturus. The Great Bear.”

  “But we’re all together now!” Pablo said. “We can join hands — join our powers, like we did before. We can bring Zak back!” He looked left and right at his friends, then at Dr. Hoo. “Can’t we?!”

  Dr. Hoo frowned. “There are some things even the stars can’t do,” he said.

  “No!” shouted Pablo. “But Zak …” A sob burst up from his throat.

  “Zak sacrificed himself for his friends,” said the doctor. “That is the last — and greatest act — a warrior can do.”

  “I would rather have died for him,” Pablo whispered.

  “Me too,” said Louise. Thora nodded. Tears streamed from her eyes.

  Dr. Hoo smiled faintly. “And that’s why the four of you were chosen by the stars,” he said.

  Pablo walked over to Zak’s body. He knelt down next to Dr. Hoo. Thora and Louise knelt next to him. Pablo couldn’t speak.

  Louise reached out a hand and placed it gently upon Zak’s chest. “Brave, big bear,” said Louise. “We’ll never forget you.”

  Thora nodded. “Never, Louise,” she said.

  Dr. Hoo put his arms around their shoulders. “Zak’s time on Earth is finished,” he said. “But he will never be forgotten. It’s time for him to take his place among the stars.”